The Lesser of Two Evils
by rockyroad69
Summary: The Rebels are victorious against the Empire. Following that however, the Force brings back an ancient darkness with a purpose. Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker has been advised to return to the Jedi Temple in Coruscant to look for a mentor. When these two forces meet, he finds himself questioning his true beliefs in the Force, which unknown to him has yet to be balanced. The Exile Xover.
1. Awakening and Purpose

Lesser of Two Evils

Awakening and Purpose

Disclaimer: I am **not** taking any material from **any EU fanon other than KOTOR I and II.**

Star Wars does not belong to me. I only own my OCs.

* * *

 **4 ABY**

' _Awaken.'_

Her thoughts swirled, as she opened her eyes to a blinding light. Recoiling a little, she couldn't help but notice that her bones felt rather stiff, and that her muscles seemed tight, as if she hadn't used them for a long time. She wiggled her shoulders to loosen herself, and inwardly smiled when she imagined Atton laughing at her for this. She must've looked ridiculous.

 _Who's Atton?_

She would've thought about it a little more, but was interrupted by a male voice. "Ah! She's awake! Lucy, lay off the light!"

The light stopped shining, replacing itself with black spots, and two faces. Two humans, a little girl, and an older man. Perhaps her father, judging from how similar their facial features looked. The woman could see him break into a bright smile. Calling for the girl, who produced something that looked like a scanner, the man took it and hovered it over her body.

She tried to find her voice, wondering what he was doing, but it only came out as a hoarse whisper.

"Calm down, lady," the man's voice soothed. "I'm just running a few tests, to make sure everything's okay."

Her breathing relaxed then, but she was still cautious, and even more than that, wondering where in the Force she was. As her vision cleared, she looked around the room. It looked like a med-bay, what with all the medical droids and the Bacta tank at the corner, but at the same time, it wasn't. The walls looked worn, and it looked a tad darker than the usual med-bay she was used to. Though, it did look relatively professional, which meant that these two were probably doctors in their own right.

Suddenly, she felt a warm energy—The Force—flowing throughout her body, relaxing her muscles and bones. A blue light shone from her form, as the pair of doctors looked in awe. When it stopped, she felt herself moving perfectly, and nothing seemed out of place as she stretched.

"Laila," she blurted out, as she gathered her thoughts.

 _Laila_. Her name. Laila Roux. She held her head in pain as her memories came back abruptly, and she remembered who she was – _what_ she was. She remembered Atton, T3-M4, Visas, and the others in her old crew. She recalled her skills, and her identity. The betrayal. Her death. She remembered everything.

She was Laila Roux, the Exile.

At least, that was what she once was. For one, she knew it was probably centuries, if not millennia, since her death, which meant she was probably already forgotten. It made her a little relieved.

However, it didn't stop Laila from being absolutely flummoxed at being brought back by the Force. She couldn't help but wonder what the game was this time, because if there was one thing she absolutely did not want, it was to be made a plaything by the Force _again_.

Not that she could oppose it, though, much to her annoyance, which did not go unnoticed. Turning her head, Laila noticed the two doctors that helped her, and they were clearly confused, and in awe.

"Go to your room, Lucy. I need to talk with her, alone," the man said, his voice firm.

Lucy knew when to oppose her father – and it was not now. She gingerly stood up and left, closing the door softly, as he folded his arms. His cold gaze seemed to pierce into Laila's soul, as she sat up with a matching glare of her own.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Laila Roux, and why the caution? I am a Jedi." Laila chose to leave her brief stint with the Sith out, knowing that it wouldn't be wise to mention that now.

The doctor noticeably flinched, but his gaze seemed colder. "Are you going to mean us harm? Did the Emperor send you?"

The Jedi tried to probe for his intentions, and to her small surprise, found his mind guarded with extremely mundane thoughts, including the combinations of some medicinal recipes she couldn't understand. His expression hardened even more, as she sighed.

"No, I do not," Laila said lowly, her voice calm. "And I know no Emperor."

It wasn't a lie – she didn't really know who the Sith Emperor was, though it was rumoured that Revan had found him.

The doctor nodded, and extended his hand, "My name is Frey. I hail from Coruscant. And you are?"

"I already told you my name," Laila murmured.

"No, you haven't told me who you are. Who _exactly are_ you?" Frey asked, his posture noticeably even more relaxed.

"And why should I tell you?"

"Because you are going to need my help." Frey smiled. "You clearly know nothing of this galaxy we live in – judging from your ignorance about the Emperor, and it looks like you do not know the danger you are in. Your kind are hunted."

Laila ran her fingers through her dark hair, knowing that there weren't many options available to her. She was at the doctor's mercy, and it looked like he was well-trained to resist the Force's mind trick, which probably meant that he had other surprises. It wasn't a risk she was prepared to take. Laila knew first-hand how deadly anti-Force User soldiers could be.

"I was a general in the Mandalorian wars…"

The Jedi left out her darker past, only concentrating on her life as a Jedi, and the Mandalorian Wars. To Frey's credit, he never interrupted, leaning forward as he listened intently at the mysterious woman.

The doctor couldn't help but wonder from which wormhole she fell into. To his knowledge, the Mandalorian Wars occurred more than four millennia ago, and to say nothing of her apparent affiliation with the notorious Darth Revan, a famed Sith Lord. Frey didn't know what to make of all this.

"The Force must have sent me back here, for whatever reason. It's not like I wanted to be here anyway," Laila shrugged.

' _I'm too old for this_.'

Frey sighed. He knew that she wasn't telling him everything – experience with young people told him that – but did not press. He studied her unreadable expression, wondering how to deal with this latest problem. The doctor had to keep it very discreet, recognizing the threat that her presence posed. The Emperor's forces showed no mercy to those who helped the Jedi, let alone powerful ones like this girl. At least, she implied that she was.

"For now, you will stay here – you need rest," Frey leaned forward as he continued. "If you should leave, do _not_ display any affiliations you have with the Force. Listen carefully to what I say. In your long absence, the galaxy has indeed changed…"

Laila listened intently, and inwardly laughed when she found out about the demise of Jedi Order at the hands of no more than two Sith. It was laughable how the Jedi never did learn their lessons about complacency and arrogance from their past wars with the Sith – most of which they won only by luck, or the Force directly intervening to keep balance.

Though, it was rather interesting to note how the Emperor was able to consolidate his power for over a decade, which was again displaying the incompetence of the Council. Surely, with their affinity with the Force, they would have sensed the darkness within the Senate as the Emperor grew in political strength?

Laila continued to listen intently, and raised an eyebrow as Frey ended his story.

"You will need to rest here, for now," the doctor told. "While the Force has indeed healed you to an extent, you are not in top condition, yet. I believe you will know what to do. Do not use your abilities while you are here. I have no intention for the Emperor's forces to kill me, or my daughter."

Laila agreed. She could still feel the stiffness that restricted her movements slightly. She grimaced at her average affinity with the Force. If she had half the Force ability of Master Kavar, she would have already been fully healed. Perhaps waking up after millennia had a hand in it. She didn't know.

The Jedi sighed. For all that happened, she still couldn't quite believe that four millennia had went past since her lifetime.

"Where is my lightsaber?" Laila thought out loud.

Frey reached into his pocket, bringing out a familiar tube, with a deep engraving around the grey hilt. It was Sith language, and she instinctive recognized it. Her name, _Rayne_. With a shiver, Laila shook off the thought. Her name was _Laila_ , not Rayne. Images started to run through her head, as darker memories started to take over, and a familiar feeling of _burning_ – _No_!

She was no longer that woman. She was Laila.

With a quivering hand, Laila tried to reach out to her lightsaber, before Frey pulled it back.

"You swear not to harm me, or my daughter?" Frey narrowed his eyes.

"I swear on the Force. Satisfied?" Laila was growing even more annoyed at the doctor's mistrust.

Frey nodded, before leaving the room, the silent air ever so unnerving her. The world had changed _so_ much. Never before had the Sith achieved such complete victory, even in her lifetime when many mighty Sith lived. _Who_ was the Emperor? The Jedi and the Republic were fools, but they were not weak. To be conquered, and destroyed so thoroughly, it was something even Darth Revan and Exar Kun at the height of their strength could not do.

She observed her weapon, wondering what her purpose was in this world. It wasn't like Laila had the strength to defeat someone powerful enough to completely conquer the Republic.

Why then, did the Force guide her here?

Sighing, she decided to sleep on her thoughts. Healing, and the talk had taken a lot out of her.

xXx

That night, she had a dream. It was the familiar setting, a thin layer of sand covering over charred skeletons, and the massive tombs towering over the ground. She recognized the tombs of Tulak Hord, and Marka Ragnos. They looked weathered, but not by time.

The Valley of the Dark Lords.

Laila wondered why she came here, only to find herself weighed down by heavy black robes, and a long red lightsaber clasped in her hand. Much to her horror, she found herself walking on her own, to a limp figure, almost burned beyond recognition, but still alive. He was muttering in a hoarse voice, but nothing that could be deciphered.

His eyes, an intense black, clouded in crimson madness stared at her, with a familiar grin plastered on his mutilated face. The Dark Side was consuming him, and she knew it. It was no use saving him now.

Yet, her chest hurt?

" _Goodbye, Laila,"_ a mocking whisper that sent chills down her spine. " _Know that the Force will not protect you from me."_

Instantly, her head felt like it was exploding, and she felt herself screaming in pain. She continued to scream, her voice becoming hoarse from the effort, as she felt something ripping inside of her. She knew that man, she _knew_ him... It was painful…

Right then, as it finally seemed to let go, she woke up, beads of sweat still running down her brow. Laila wiped her sweat off her forehead, and closed her eyes.

Even after four millennia, the nightmares didn't stop.

" _Atton…"_

xXx

 **A week later…**

Time had passed by like a flash. It was slow, and took a week, but Laila could now feel her old strength return. At least, physically. Her Force powers remained crippled. Her wound from _that_ battle never did heal, and would probably never will. Atton's ghost still haunted her, but she made a promise not let her weakness control her this time.

She stared at herself in the mirror. Laila's sleeveless black shirt was tight, showing her curves, and she wore long, dark pants tucked into a pair of black boots. Fastening her lightsaber into its holster, Laila traced the burn scars on her shoulder, as she thought about that last battle in her lifetime. Pushing that thought away, Laila recalled what she did during the week.

Helped by Lucy and Frey, Laila had worked hard to condition herself physically, and using an old training tool – a sparring hologram programmed by HK-47 – to shake off some of her rust in duelling. She shook her head as she remembered Lucy's rather unhealthy fascination with the hologram's foul language each time he was beaten down by Laila. It worked wonders, in the sense that she regained her old skills.

However, her strength in the Force was still crippled. It wasn't like she had a problem with it – the Force was never her strength. Be it as a Sith, or Jedi, Laila's strength was always in her duelling. In her lifetime, she was unmatched, and was even compared to Tulak Hord himself, which was probably an exaggeration, though his Holocron had told otherwise. Nonetheless, it unnerved her.

Laila wondered if she still had Tulak Hord's Holocron with her – and grimaced when she could not find it. It was that Holocron that had guided her in her short foray into the Dark Side, with the remnant of the Sith Lord passing on to her his knowledge, which included his duelling technique. Not to mention it was a gift from Revan, who had fought for its possession and won.

Letting out a sigh, she turned around, and found herself facing Lucy, the little blonde child who had wormed her way into the Jedi's heart. Laila managed a smile, though she did feel rather bad for the child. After all, this was the day she was leaving, and Lucy somehow had the idea that Laila was her "big sister". Her smile became more tiring to maintain, as she looked at the wide eyes of the child.

Swallowing, Laila went into the other room, where she found Frey looking at her with a rather sad smile. He knew it was time for her to leave.

He was smiling much more in the previous couple of days, especially after the news came out that the Rebels had managed to deal a decisive victory over the Empire in the Battle of Endor, helped by a new Jedi named Luke Skywalker. It was followed by a swift capture of Coruscant by the famed Admiral Ackbar. With the Emperor dead, and Coruscant captured, the Empire was broken. The only thing that remained was for the Rebels to consolidate their power in the galaxy, to which Laila had said would take time. Not that Frey had cared, though.

"So, you are leaving now?" Frey asked, setting down papers on his desk.

"Yes."

"Lucy will miss you, you know?" Frey took off his glasses, staring at Laila. "Nevertheless, take care of yourself out there. The Empire being defeated will mean that you must be more careful. After the Emperor's regime, many now hate the Force – and you are an unknown. I would advise you to leave to Coruscant, where you can negotiate with the New Republic leaders."

Laila nodded her head solemnly, before silently leaving – before Frey stopped her.

"I think you forgot something," Frey said, holding out a folded black cloak. "I found this by your bed."

Laila took it, and felt the familiar weight, which reminded her of that night in Korriban. She tried to return it to Frey, who shook his head.

"It's not mine to keep," Frey told, before adding. "Running away from your past will not do anything, Dark Lord."

"Who _are_ you?" Laila glared, her sapphire-blue eyes almost glowing.

"I'm just an old doctor," Frey smiled. "Until we meet again, Laila. Lucy and I will look forward to it. The hangar is about two miles north."

Reluctantly, Laila took the heavy cloak. Then, she nodded, and left by the door, silently as possible, as she waved a goodbye to Lucy from the distance. There was a certain excitement as she walked – this was the first time she was allowed to be outside ever since awakening that day.

She walked on the grass, and wondered if she was in Dxun, with all the trees, and the cries, and growls of the beasts in the distance. More than that, she wondered about the identity of Frey, who was clearly more than he was. The sound of a distant thunder could be heard, as large, grey clouds hovered above her.

Sighing, she pulled the dark cloak over her, and felt the familiar weight on her shoulders. Memories started to flood her mind, but she managed to suppress it and regain her concentration by thinking about Pazaak combinations – something a friend had taught her to do, long ago. She couldn't remember who. More accurately, she didn't _want_ to remember.

Finally, after some time, she found herself in front of the hangar. Punching in the passcode, Laila entered the hangar and plunged into the cockpit of the ship housed inside. Strapping herself in, Laila reached out with the Force and studied the controls.

In another day, she would have marvelled at the newer model of the Navicomputer, not to mention the quicker, and smoother programming which allowed for quicker and less risky Hyperspace jumps. Also, she observed the leaner design of the controls, and the newly installed auto-pilot, which also had its own automated evasive manoeuvres, and radars. It wasn't built for fighting, judging from the lack of weaponry, but the defensive options available more than made up for it.

She certainly knew that Atton would have absolutely went _mental_ for this ship.

Gritting her teeth at the sudden onrushing of memories, Laila quickly started the launch procedure, which was thankfully no different than it was in her time. As she entered space, she quickly set the destination towards Coruscant in the navicomputer, and sat back as the ship entered hyperspace, reminiscing on her past.

xXx

 **Coruscant**

"Welcome to Coruscant," Han Solo said. "The capital of the Empire."

"The _Republic_ ," Luke Skywalker, the hero of the Republic, corrected, earning a sighed " _Whatever_ " from Han.

"Tell me again why we are even here?" Han grumbled, knowing that this ride was requested at extremely short notice.

Chewbacca also voiced his displeasure, earning a sheepish smile from Luke, who knew that all Han wanted to do was to settle down quietly with Leia away from further war, though he knew that it probably wouldn't happen.

Luke was no different. He knew that currently, the galaxy's political state was extremely unstable, with many vying for power. While he had wanted to help the Rebellion consolidate the Senate and rebuild the Republic, he had his own duties.

With Yoda officially bestowing upon him the title of Grandmaster of the Jedi, Luke had a responsibility to rebuild the Order, bring back balance to the Force, and renew the strength of the Light. Obi-Wan had charged him with this duty, and advised him to let the Rebellion consolidate its power around Coruscant.

Luke's role in the war was effectively over, and Ackbar had already discharged him towards Coruscant to perform his task. After his blunder at Bespin, Luke wasn't about to dismiss Obi-Wan's advice again – he would believe in his friends to rebuild the New Republic on their own.

Touching down on the Temple ruins, Han said, with a wink, "There you go, kid. The only free ride I'll ever give you."

Luke smiled, and quickly jumped off his seat to leave the Falcon. He was about to leave, but not before being pulled into an embrace by Han.

"It's been a pleasure," Han smiled. "I'll see you soon. Be careful out there – especially now that the Empire has fallen, Coruscant might be a little dangerous. See you soon, kid."

The Wookiee beside him roared his farewell, as Luke broke into a sad smile – he'd miss these two, for sure. However, he controlled his emotions, as he waved his farewell and jumped off the Falcon. The young man almost did shed a tear as he watched the Falcon disappear into the sky, but shook his head, and calmed himself.

Luke wandered around the massive ruins, marvelling as he imagined the splendour that the temple must've had in its full glory. However, something was wrong. It was a warm day outside, but the place was dark and cold, making Luke shiver involuntarily. The Dark Side was strong in the air, and it was completely silent, as if completely sealed in. It smelled stagnant, tainted by the small tinge of blood.

Eyeing the familiar burn marks on the walls still standing, he concluded that it must have been personally destroyed by the Emperor's powers himself, which unnerved Luke. Yoda wasn't joking when he mentioned not to underestimate the Emperor's strength in the Dark Side.

He remembered his last conversation with Obi-Wan, the night before his trip to Coruscant, as he wondered what to do in this massive place.

xXx

" _You want me to stop fighting?" Luke had asked Obi-Wan, who was standing by him._

" _Yes, Luke. It's time for you to rebuild the Order. Go to the Jedi Temple at Coruscant," Obi-Wan had said, though his face was unnaturally grim. "There, you will find a mentor that will allow you to do your duty."_

" _But the war hasn't ended yet! There's been –"_

" _Calm down, Luke. Believe in your friends. They are not incompetent, and will see this out," Obi-Wan reassured. "Remember Bespin?"_

 _That very question struck any argument Luke could've had down. After all, His friends did manage to escape Bespin on their own, without his help. Biting his lip, Luke thought about Obi-Wan's advice._

 _After a pause, Obi-Wan added, "The Emperor may have been defeated, but this is just a beginning. You must prepare yourself. Anakin has completed his chapter – it's time for you to start yours. Also, I would certainly say that you need more training."_

 _In that, Luke couldn't help but agree. He was thoroughly defeated by the Emperor with barely any effort, and the only reason he was alive was because of his father's betrayal._

" _But I thought the Jedi are dead?" Luke pointed out. "Who is this Mentor, and where can I find him?"_

" _You can find him in the Jedi Temple at Coruscant," Obi-Wan said, his face tightening. "The Force will guide you."_

 _Luke nodded in agreement, as Obi-Wan smiled._

" _You have made me very proud, Luke Skywalker. I thought that Anakin would never be redeemed… but somehow you managed it," Obi-Wan said._

 _A pause._

" _May the Force be with you," With that, Obi-Wan disappeared._

xXx

Following Obi-Wan's advice, Luke let himself go to the Force, and let it guide him towards his destination. He heard a whisper – whispers – and through the ruins, he followed them. He wondered if the Emperor had left the ruins as a symbol of his victory over the Jedi, but put it straight into the back of his mind, as he continued his walk deep into the temple.

After some time walking through the ruins, the whispers grew louder, and he found a place, the only place untainted by the Dark Side. It was warmer, and he could see a ray of sunlight through the ceiling. He could see what was probably once a large, beautiful garden, and a place of peace and tranquillity, with glistening streams and a roaring waterfall. A place of beauty, and the Light.

Now however, it was burned to the ground, with very few trees left standing, and they were all dead. Shallow murky water lay in the streams unmoving, with a sickening smell of burning. Luke couldn't help but feel deep sadness at the state of the Temple, but ignored it – it would all be rebuilt someday, and to do that, he had a duty to fulfill.

Continuing to follow the whispers, Luke found a presence – presumably his mentor, and swallowed. He wondered what his mentor would be like, as he jumped across a stream. Suddenly, the whispers stopped, and Luke entered a little hut to reveal an imposing figure facing him.

At least, that was what he thought as he studied the person staring at him. She was a woman, clearly, judging from her soft facial features. She wore a large, black cloak, with her hood pulled back, similar to the Emperor's. Except, that it was slightly tighter, and it parted at the middle, revealing a black shirt, and a chain necklace holding a pendant shaped like the crescent moon.

Her long, dark hair ran down her back, and she possessed a pair of piercing, deep sapphire eyes, which seemed to pierce through Luke's very soul. Luke tried to match her stare with his own, earning a small chuckle from her. Looking down in near-embarrassment, he noticed the lightsaber strapped into her belt, confirming his suspicions.

"Who are you?" The cloaked woman asked, tilting her head, giving Luke a better view of her face, which was rather beautiful.

However, he didn't miss the sheer authority she had laced into her voice, and straightened his shoulders.

"I'm Luke Skywalker, and I'm looking for a mentor," Luke said. "It appears you are the one."

"And what makes you think so?" She folded her arms, her eyebrow raised.

"The Force willed it to be so," Luke chose his words carefully. "It led me to you."

She then did something Luke didn't expect. Instead of acknowledging him as her apprentice, she started to sigh and grumble, before murmuring things he couldn't hear. The woman seemed to regather herself, as she studied Luke.

"So _that's_ why I was brought back…" She sighed, disappointment clear in her voice. "To train a little brat."

xXx

* * *

A/N: So this is a little experimental WIP I thought of a year ago, after completing the KOTOR II game.

Part of the reason why I created this was because I absolutely _hated_ how the Exile's story ended in SWTOR, and that Revan book. I do not want to see my uber-awesome character that I built get deus-exed by a Sith loser who happened to have a dream. Anyway, I was also curious at how Luke essentially became the King of Uber in terms of strength in the EUs. Again, I didn't like it. He basically just made himself god-like. So.. yeah. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. :)

* * *

 _Appendices_

Tulak Hord: One of the greatest lightsaber duellists of his era.

Marka Ragnos: An immensely powerful ancient Sith Lord.

Valley of the Dark Lords: A place containing giant tombs of the Sith Lords in Korriban.

 **Do read and review!**


	2. Foresight

**Lesser of Two Evils**

Foresight

In all honesty, I'm still quite rusty in terms of the lore in Star Wars. Took way too much research and blocks than I would've liked to get this chapter out, goodness. Hope you guys enjoy. :D

Note: Those marked with (*) will be mentioned in the appendices below.

xXx

 **4 ABY, Room of the Thousand Fountains**

Obi-Wan had known about Luke's master beforehand, but it didn't help to allay his worries. Laila Roux was among other things, extremely mysterious. He knew next to nothing about her – other than the whispers from ancient Force ghosts stating that she was a great warrior in her era, known only as the Exile. The whispers never stopped there, calling her many names and epithets, but one name stood out over the rest.

 _Darth Rayne_.

While it could be a deranged whisper from a ghost unable to withstand the potency of the Force, it was something that heavily unnerved Obi-Wan. After all, the title "Darth" was one he recognized extremely well – the title of a Dark Lord of the Sith. The last thing Obi-Wan wanted was another Darth Vader in their midst. So concentrated onto the Exile's actions, Obi-Wan almost did not notice a small figure appear beside him.

"Do anything, we cannot," The figure croaked, his voice grave. "Chosen, the Force has."

"I know." Obi-Wan's voice was equally grave as he watched the pair of Luke and Laila meet.

He felt the darkness within the necklace the woman carried, to say nothing of her large cloak. Yoda's face was crinkled oddly, almost in pity, but the old master did not elaborate. Obi-Wan sighed – he never could get any answers from Yoda.

"For now, trust her and Luke, we must," Yoda said before he disappeared.

Obi-Wan sighed, but knew that Yoda was right. The fate of the Jedi now lay at the shoulders of Luke, and almost in extension, the Exile herself. For now, Obi-Wan would give her the benefit of the doubt – not that he had any choice – but he would do everything in his power to stop Luke from falling like Anakin did. While Anakin eventually redeemed himself, it did not take away from all the damage and death that he caused as Darth Vader.

"A thunderstorm," Obi-Wan softly blurted, as he looked at the darkening skies and heavy clouds.

It was odd. There was neither any wind preceding it, nor any other things that would signal an incoming storm. Perhaps it was an omen? Obi-Wan did not know. He watched the pair retreat into one of the meditation huts in the ruined Room of a Thousand Fountains. The atmosphere slowly grew colder, almost sombre, as Obi-Wan watched the growing darkness of the storm wrap over the desolate gardens as if mourning the fallen glory of the old Order.

A familiar feeling overcame him, as he bent down in a grimace. Force ghost or no, Obi-Wan could never resist the draw of the Force. The Jedi had to return now, and quickly. He looked up just in time to see a lightning strike flashing over the temple, and could only gasp. In that split-second, he spotted a silhouette – a flowing cloak, and a pair of piercing midnight blue eyes peering at him from a distance.

xXx

To say that Laila was disappointed would be an understatement. Between training a snotty Jedi youngling and fighting the Emperor, she would've probably picked the latter. She watched the blue eyes of Skywalker, and almost chuckled. While they appeared to be firm and devoid of emotion, what she saw was anything but.

The boy was clearly _trying_ to be Jedi but was filled with too much turmoil.

At least, that was what she felt through the Force – the boy needed some work in terms of guarding his mind. Not to mention his lack of guard – his arms were lackadaisically slumped, not firmly close to the lightsaber strapped at his belt which meant he was completely unprepared for an unnoticed attack.

" _Youth…"_ Laila mused softly, noting that those habits came from experience.

"Did you say something?" Luke asked. "Um, who are you?"

Laila frowned, but did not reply. She decided that she had to enjoy this a little – at least until she saw the dark clouds hovering over the temple. Beckoning Luke to a hut, she walked silently, the Force masking her steps – a small training routine she used to shake off some of her rustiness in controlling her powers – and in the corner of her eye, noticed a blue shade looking over them. Rain started to fall, and the winds grew stronger, as Laila took a closer look while walking.

A Force ghost, and Jedi, by the looks of it.

She concluded that they likely here to watch over Luke, which would be rather troubling. Jedi were by their very nature, manipulative creatures, no matter how "good" they were. Much like Senate politicians, in their own way. Laila knew that the Jedi would probably keep a close watch on her teachings, which was something that she did not want.

She would teach on her own terms, not the Jedi's.

In a gesture of warning, she sent a focused blast of the Dark Side towards the ghost, and took great satisfaction as the Jedi noticeably flinched and disappeared.

Entering the hut, Laila noticed Luke almost at ease, which surprised her a little, considering that he had just returned from a war. However, she remained unmoved, and sat down, this time properly examining the young Jedi.

His blue eyes simply stayed on her for the length of the time they sat, which meant patience, and it looked like he had restraint as well – which was not bad for a youngling, all of whom in her experience, usually had reckless wandering eyes and lack of patience.

However, his eyes occasionally travelled to her crescent moon necklace, and it was followed by a dark look in his face, which impressed her a little. The boy had some mastery of the Force and had reached out. Considering that it was at such a raw stage as well…

Laila would never admit it, but she was impressed. She knew that barring any slip-ups or the Force intervening unnecessarily, she would probably have no trouble training Skywalker – he seemed to have grasped the foundations in the Force, and had the proper restraint to do so. Also, he was experienced in war and had apparently defeated Darth Vader, which would make his training infinitely easier in terms of combat.

However, it did not stop her from having her own concerns.

Before the young Jedi arrived, Laila looked around the ruined temple looking for relics to salvage, especially the old Jedi holocrons. While she had no particular attachment or need for the artefacts, she knew that the knowledge and wisdom within them was great, and it would be a waste simply to leave it rotting in a pile of ruins. With the recent events that followed, they would be invaluable.

However, Laila found nothing. She searched for the Noetikons* deep in the old Archives and found all of them ransacked, much to her annoyance. The Emperor was more thorough than she thought – even the well-hidden ones were not spared. The library was also burned down, leaving only the Room of Thousand Fountains as the only place that held any form of knowledge, residual if nothing else.

Needless to say, the Emperor had successfully erased most, if not all traces of the old Jedi, and was well prepared to cripple them should they attempt to rise again.

It meant that Luke was on his own, and without help from any of the old masters.

Another concern Laila had, was that for all her power and reputation, she was not powerful enough to train Luke in the ways of the Force. Sparring with Luke wasn't in the question once he became powerful enough, as he could accidentally kill her, which wouldn't do. Even as a Force ghost, Laila could feel the sheer power of the Force resonating within Luke, and knew that as a practitioner of the Force, the boy had the potential to surpass many of the ancient Jedi.

It was the main reason why she was partly relieved – Luke could be left to his own devices – provided he had the right attitude, which remained to be seen. She wished she had half the skills that Master Kavar had in teaching – this would have been a breeze. Laila would've mused on it further, but was cast out of her thoughts when Luke made a sudden movement forward. Instinct from her years in war was put into play, as she gripped her lightsaber.

Laila could have restrained herself, but didn't. Instead, she made it her first test of Luke's battle instinct. In lightning speed, the woman drew her saber and slashed, the familiar sound of plasma ringing in her ears – a sound she had missed greatly. She almost drew a sigh of relief when Luke managed to dodge it; she had put more power than expected in that strike.

It was rather impressive from the boy – she knew many younglings who wouldn't be able to avoid that and would've probably died. However, Laila knew that she would have to approach this carefully – her recklessness could have been fatal and she had no doubt that Luke was less than pleased.

"I apologize for that," Laila said, giving him a rather curt nod. "It was merely reflex – you made a sudden move forward. Sudden moves forward usually mean killing moves, in my experience."

Luke nodded, but his eyes still exhibited caution, and he had his right hand close to his side now, ready to drop his lightsaber. Laila didn't miss the series of telltale clicks as he moved his fingers – but didn't dwell on it. It wasn't the worst war wound she had seen anyway.

"So?" Luke asked, his voice low and probing.

"I'm your master," Laila said, wondering how to start. "Firstly, I must know, what have you learned? Any of the duelling forms? What of the Force?"

She listened intently as Luke spoke of his past battles and his experiences, his brief training with Yoda, and sessions with Obi-Wan Kenobi. Also, his apparent blunder at Bespin and Yoda's assessment of him, and his recklessness which caused him to ultimately lose against Vader. Laila couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as she listened to the details which caused the Emperor to fall, one of which included his decision to give himself up to redeem his father, Darth Vader.

Listening to this, Laila had a new view of Luke. He was many things indeed, but two words stood out to her as she thought about him.

 _Reckless and naïve._

"So, what if your father never did get redeemed?" Laila finally asked, twirling her lightsaber hilt. "What would you have done then?"

There was a pause, as thunder crackled overhead.

"I knew he would get redeemed nonetheless," Luke had finally said. "The Force had already reached out to him."

"Jedi arrogance," Laila muttered, suddenly remembering her audience with the Council that had her exiled from the Order.

Luke raised an eyebrow, but Laila waved it off quickly. It would be unwise to antagonize her new Jedi student.

"Before we start, Luke Skywalker, you must know this," Laila folded her arms, her bright sapphire blue eyes darkening. "No one knows what the Force truly intend. No one."

Laila emphasised on the last two words, as she took off her cloak and showed the burn scars around her shoulder.

"The Force may gift some with foresight," Laila continued, tracing the engraved name on her lightsaber. "But even then, it only gives visions which lead to more questions, not answers."

Luke gulped, and she knew that he didn't know what to make of it.

"You were reckless, and without a plan – only believing in the will of the Force will not save your life in future wars," Laila told, while adjusting her necklace. "I have seen it before. Also, you seem to have barely any knowledge about the traditional styles of duelling – but that can be fixed. However, in terms of the Force, you clearly need more training. Your father cannot save you forever. For all we know, the Force might have just let loose someone worse than Darth Sidious."

Laila wondered about her next words and found herself thinking of her old master, Kreia. She sighed; while she had knowledge, she wasn't someone who could spout them off almost at will. Mastery of skills did not mean mastery of the books, after all. The woman rubbed her forehead, wondering how she would go about this.

"So, what do I have to do?" Luke suddenly asked, his eyes shining with determination which Laila wasn't prepared for.

"Be patient, Luke," Laila said, a hint of exasperation in her voice.

Laila didn't show it, but she was close to panicking. She had an expectant student, but didn't know how she would go about this. She grimaced at the thought of Atton, who would probably be laughing at her. Heck, even Tulak Hord's shade would laugh at her awkwardness.

'I have to stop trying to be Kreia,' Laila realized, calming herself down.

Thinking a little, Laila had a few destinations and training methods in mind for Luke. Her ideal spot for training was secluded, and away from prying eyes, but strong in the Force. Normally, the Room of Thousand Fountains would be perfect for this, but with the instability bound to happen within the galaxy, she was unwilling to stay in the centre of it – Coruscant.

Korriban was another option. Not only was Laila extremely familiar with the facilities, but she also knew the exact locations strong in the Force.

It was possible, as for now, the Sith was eradicated. It would probably be safe for a couple of years as the Republic recovered, and also, no one still dared venture there.

However, it was also dangerous. Before Laila went to Coruscant, she landed on Korriban for a brief time, and found the Dark Side still strong in there, especially close to the Valley of the Dark Lords.

Seductive, silent whispers could still be heard in the planet, dangerous whispers which lead unsuspecting travellers to a horrible fate. Also, it still held an echo of a Force Wound, one that she recognized, but did not dare to remember.

It would prove an excellent test for Luke Skywalker's resolve in the Light, but she didn't know if he was strong enough for it yet – which only left one place she knew was suitable for this sort of training.

"We're moving from this planet," Laila said.

"Aren't we going to train here, in the temple?" Luke was frowning in confusion.

"I'm not sticking around here until the Republic stabilizes," Laila shrugged. "Coruscant is becoming more unnerving by the day, and I'm not exactly the 'Hero of the Rebellion'."

"So where are we going?" The boy asked, now excitement lacing his tone.

"Patience, boy." Laila felt an odd satisfaction hearing herself say that. "We're going to Dxun. It's going to be a long trip, and this is your first assignment."

Luke edged forward, his normally calm face turning into a rather curious smile. Laila had an idea how she would go about his training.

"You are going to get all the supplies, for free," Laila said, handing Luke a rather extensive list.

"But that's stealing!" Luke exclaimed, his voice incredulous.

"I'm training you to be strong – not to be a saint," Laila shrugged, and smirked. "The Force willed it to be so."

She had almost laughed at his expression, but sighed when he stubbornly exclaimed, "I'm not going to do it. It goes against my beliefs."

"Well, just do it," Laila said, noticing that the rain had stopped. "Stop glaring at me... I'll pay them back later."

Luke continued glaring, and she sighed.

"Besides, isn't it the Jedi way to live broke?" It was an old Sith joke, but Laila still found it rather amusing. "It's not like you have any credits anyway. Hypermatter isn't cheap, and we have a long trip ahead. By the way, Hangar 302."

With a dirty look, Luke left, and Laila made her plans for Luke's training regime. She fiddled with her wallet and chuckled.

It was empty.

xXx

Luke couldn't believe it – he had to steal in his first assignment. What was the Force thinking?! He knew next to nothing about her. Heck, he didn't even know her name!

It wasn't like she wasn't suspicious as well. Her necklace, and lightsaber had a menacing feel to it, like a wrapping cold around them. Especially the crescent moon. It made him uneasy, but it wasn't like he could question it.

The Force had to have a reason to put her in anyway – or at least he hoped it was so. His nervousness grew as he approached a giant starship hangar, where he assumed had the fuel his master wanted.

"How may I help you?" A droid tagged A-80 asked.

"Um," Luke was confused for a moment, but regained his bearings. "Where could I find the hypermatter?"

"Oh, that? Go to Section B3, and see Kara," A-80 drawled. "She handles the fuel here."

Luke looked around in the gigantic hangar, and in his frustration, ended up using the Force to lead himself to the place where A-80 had referred him to. He knew he should have probably used one of the pads available, but decided that he had neither the time nor the patience to do so.

Finally reaching Section B3, he searched around, and found a rather tall, blonde-haired human woman amidst a fair few aliens, pilots by the look of them. They seemed to have an argument, but the woman managed to calm them down. Luke could hear her mutter "nasty buggers" as they left, before she finally turned to him.

"Um, are you Kara?" Luke asked.

"Who's asking?" The blond replied gruffly, clearly not in the best of moods. "What do you want?"

"Um, Luke Skywalker," He introduced himself, as he handed Laila's order to her.

Instantly, heads turned to him, including a shout of "The Rebellion Hero!" He was at a loss at first, as the blonde nodded, ignoring the crowd.

"Alright, I can fill this order," Kara said, making some calculations and procuring a bill from a droid. "It'll cost you."

"Um…" Luke stuttered for a moment, his eyes almost popping out when he saw the bill.

"Rebellion hero or not, I still need to make a living." Kara folded her arms. "So, will you pay up?"

The crowd seemed to go back to their own devices, as Luke wondered how he would go about this. He felt horrible about it, but remembered what _she_ had said – they needed the fuel. He was about to be ready to do it, and started to lace his voice with the Force like the Obi-Wan had done back in Tatooine.

" _I w-want it for free –"_

At that, Kara laughed. Loudly, in fact. So loudly, it caught the attention of others.

"Calm it, boy. You look like you're about to explode," Kara laughed. "I owe you one for deposing that crackhead, anyway. However, this will be the last time I'm going to do this. When you come back, you're paying, understand?"

"Um.."

"What are you waiting for?" An impatient tone started to seep in the blonde's voice. "Get out of here before I really charge you. Just remember – not all of us people have forgotten your tricks."

"At least you were being honest about it," Another human man passing by beside her laughed. "Remember that other guy? I don't think his face was the same after that!"

"Better than giving him to the Emperor," Kara shrugged. "You're a pilot, aren't you? You know the risks. Just don't do anything stupid."

Luke hastily thanked Kara and left before things became more sombre. He watched the crates of hypermatter being loaded by the droids. Accepting a pad from the droids, he quickly keyed in the passcode and the hangar number, and looked as they enacted a force field around them, and carried the crates towards Hangar 301.

He would've sighed in relief, if not for the sudden voice in his head.

" _Well, I was wondering if this would work._ "

"Master!" Luke exclaimed in surprise.

" _My name is Laila Roux."_ She sounded extremely serious, but Luke did not push. " _You clearly need more training. And keep your voice down."_

"Get out of my head," Luke warned, preparing a mental Force blast.

" _Calm down, Luke. This is similar to the link where a real Master and his student would have had in the old Jedi,'_ Laila sighed, as Luke pulled back his blast, almost in surprise. ' _I've made it a slightly deeper connection, like my old master.'_

Luke raised an eyebrow, but did not answer.

 _"_ _At any rate, you've caused quite a stir,"_ Laila said. " _We go immediately. After the droids are done loading the hypermatter, get into the ship – the password to the controls is 03991. Meet me in the courtyard when you return."_

The young Jedi grumbled as he tried to reach out to her, only to be replied by silence. Master Roux was always cryptic, never giving him answers – only giving him directions. Just like the Force.

Luke didn't dwell on it though – he just wanted to get this over with. Dishonest or no, he was disappointed in himself.

He did fail his assignment after all.

xXx

 **In Space**

"So, where are we going?" Luke asked for the umpteenth time.

"Dxun – now shut up," Laila grumbled – the navicomputer was taking an awfully long time to calculate the coordinates, and she was getting impatient.

"What's there anyway? I haven't heard of it before," Luke said, as the navicomputer calculated the coordinates, and the hyperdrive started to activate.

With a few precise commands Atton had taught her, Laila set the ship into auto-pilot and was about to pull the launch lever, but Luke stopped her.

"Wait!" Luke shouted, before keying in a final command.

Laila raised an eyebrow, and Luke answered, "New safety measure – just going easy on the old ship a little in hyperspace. It's a trick Han taught me."

"I'll talk to you about that later… Anyway, who's Han?" Laila asked.

"A friend."

Did all Jedi have to be that evasive?

Laila sighed as she pulled the lever, and the ship entered hyperspace. She wondered just how forgotten a place Dxun was, to take so much time for the navicomputer to pick it up from the database. She didn't dwell on it, though – she had a lesson to finish.

"I'm sure you have learned something today, Skywalker," Laila said, going back to the subject that Luke kept avoiding.

"I don't know."

The stubbornness of the boy was astounding – always giving the same answer every time Laila brought it up. She was getting sick of it.

"That's because you're trying too hard to be Jedi," Laila said, frustrated.

"How am I supposed to know?!" Luke raised his voice, frustration laced in his tone. "Because she wanted to?!"

"Precisely!" Laila said.

Luke gave her a bewildered look as she continued, this time with a teasing tone.

"The Force isn't the solution to everything, you know. I don't know why you Jedi always overcomplicate things."

"Why you –"

"Think of this matter for a moment, as we reach Dxun," Laila said, waving her hand. "Now go and rest. You will need to be at full strength there."

xXx

 **In the Outer Regions**

It was almost pitch black. The lights turned on, revealing a black round table, with the shape of a spiral inscribed deeply into it. The air was stagnant as if it hadn't been breathed in for a long time, and the lights were dim. Suddenly, hooded figures in dark robes appeared and took their seats around the table. Yet the surroundings remained completely silent, as if they weren't there. Their faces were completely shadowed, and their voices distorted as they spoke.

" _Let's begin. Report."_

 _"_ _I sense a great darkness, in the Force."_

 _"_ _Haven't the Sith already fallen?"_

 _"_ _Perhaps so, but the feeling remains unmistakeable – which is why I called a meeting, Master. This might be a threat."_

 _"_ _I do not think so. Let the darkness fester – it may be a great boon to us, in the long run. The Sith are extremely predictable."_

 _"_ _Nonetheless, they are not to be underestimated."_

 _"_ _What do you make of this, Master?"_

 _"_ _Krex is right – this will not affect our plans for true Balance. However, it may be well-worth keeping an eye on this."_

 _"_ _Agreed, Master. I will send Felix."_

" _The future is clouded, Master, and the Force still shakes from the tremor… What shall we do?"_

 _"_ _For now, we shall wait for more information. Dismissed."_

xXx

 **A/N: This was a tough chapter to write, probably because I've been slacking off in my character and WIP writing. Pacing was off several times, and fixing them was a bit of a pain. I hope you enjoyed. –Art**

Appendices

Noetikons: Special holocrons designed to sift through the vast storehouse of knowledge within the Jedi Temple Archives.


End file.
